WASHINGTON (Jan. 16, 2019)–In a rare feat for a freshman congressperson, Brand New Congress candidate Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has secured a position on the House Financial Services Committee, a powerful regulatory body that oversees Wall Street, banking and lending, and the entire U.S. financial sector.

Her appointment demonstrates the fast and meaningful impact progressive candidates can make when they’re driven by a clear, purposeful vision on issues, and backed by grassroots efforts like Brand New Congress, which seeks to elect regular, working people to public office.

Brand New Congress recruited Rep. Ocasio-Cortez to run for office in 2017 after receiving a nomination from someone in her community. More than 10,000 individuals nationwide were nominated in 2017, and 32 Brand New Congress candidates challenged Republican and Democratic incumbents in 18 states, garnering more than 1.6 million votes last election cycle.

Like every Brand New Congress candidate, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez signed a comprehensive pledge to refuse all corporate PAC donations both during her congressional campaign and in her tenure in Congress. Among other issues, her platform supports a number of important financial reforms, including addressing risky banking practices, introducing programs to eliminate student loan debt, and exploring solutions to address the vast wealth inequality that plagues our country.

Her role on the Financial Services Committee will allow her to have direct influence on the policy and regulatory decisions that govern these and other economic issues important to everyday Americans. On Twitter, she said she will begin by focusing on the student loan crisis, the for-profit prison industry, ICE detention, and the development of public and postal banking options.

Brand New Congress continues to pursue candidates nationwide and has already opened its call for nominations for the 2020 election cycle. BNC candidates are everyday people – teachers, veterans, nurses and scientists – with fresh ideas, powerful voices, and a desire to shape the future of our country for the better. They share progressive values and inspire voters with calls for campaign finance reform, The Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and other issues. To nominate a potential candidate, visit brandnewcongress.org/nomination.

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BNC is a post-partisan federal political action committee supporting Democrats, Republicans and Independents who push for progressive legislation such as Medicare for All, $15 minimum wage, clean energy initiatives, tuition-free education, abolition of ICE and others. All BNC candidates have taken a pledge to refuse corporate PAC dollars. For more about Brand New Congress please visit brandnewcongress.org

Manny Veiga is a writer and marketing professional, currently living in Boston. He volunteers with Brand New Congress as a contributor on our communications team, including press releases, blog posts, and podcasts.